


A Stolen Book, A Gifted Rose

by My_Coffee_Is_Hot_Chocolate



Series: That Wizards and Powers AU [1]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Also I have a HISTORY worked out here, Alternate Universe - Powers and Wizards, Book Thief Race, But this is just a meeting of our two leading gentleman, Enchanted Rose, M/M, Race has powers, Spot's a Wizard, Spot's a busboy/security gaurd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:26:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14864024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Coffee_Is_Hot_Chocolate/pseuds/My_Coffee_Is_Hot_Chocolate
Summary: Race stole a book from the book store where Spot works, and Spot takes pity on the starving powered boy.





	A Stolen Book, A Gifted Rose

Race knew that he could sell that book for good money, or maybe keep it to read to the little kids he came across. They would like that. 

Race was lucky, only one person noticed. And he was sure his illusion of only having stolen a copy of some cheap book would keep that person who noticed from chasing. But they did. Race couldn’t focus on the illusion any more, he had to run. Clutching the book, he took off at a dead sprint.

His pursuer, however, was apparently learned in magic.

Race heard something explode by his feet, spurring him on faster. He had to run faster, and hope that whoever this wizard was, that they didn’t know any binding spells. That could be bad.

 

Spot was technically a busboy, he was only supposed to help move the books from wagon to store. But he was also the only wizard on staff who knew any combat or binding spells (Or was any good at them). So he was also kinda the security force. He got paid extra for it.

Which was why he noticed when a skinny blond boy stole a book from the wagon. A shimmer over the book hid whatever title it was, but Spot still had to chase him. He sighed as he murmured a spell so the books floated to where they were supposed to go. Then he took off after the book thief. 

Spot threw a small fireball that was supposed to go over his shoulder and in front of him but actually hit just behind his bare feet. The thief yelped and ran faster as Spot cursed and pulled out his rope. Muttering the spell, Spot threw the rope at the boy’s feet. The rope tied itself around the boy’s ankles and made him trip on the cobblestone. 

The book, a expensive new title and not the battered book Spot had seen the boy steal, fell to the street with a clatter. Spot walked past the boy and picked the book up before looking closely at his catch. 

The boy he had caught would have been very handsome. But his good looks were covered in layers of grime and dirt, and what Spot could see of his eyes were sunken and dull. His hair was matted and shaggy, with very obvious hat head. The hat was a few feet away, sitting in a puddle. His clothes were ratty and threadbare. And probably either too big or too small.

His pitiful appearance was enough for Spot to take pity on him.  
“Please, please please don’t hurt me..” The boy stuttered, trying to sit up. He had obvious cuff scars on his wrists, and now Spot was curious. The boy seemed to notice Spot examining him more closely, and the shimmer over his features changed them. The scars were gone and his eyes seemed green now. 

“You have powers.” Spot said flatly. That explained a lot. “C’mon, I have to get this book back and you’re coming with me.”

“No!” The powered boy yelped. “Please they’ll throw me in the Refuge!”

Spot stopped in the middle of putting the book in his bag. “The Refuge?”

The boy nodded frantically. “The Refuge, please they’ll kill me this time. I can’t go back I was only going to sell it for food.”

Spot knew that no one hired powered people. He sighed and dragged the boy to a alley. “Stay here for a bit.” And he left the boy there while he walked to the nearest flower cart and bought a rose. Once he was out of sight of the florist, he muttered a charm but then realised he didn’t know the boy’s name, and this charm needed a name. 

So he walked back to where he had left the boy. “What’s your name?”

The boy was confused. “Racetrack, why do you-”

“Real name, otherwise this won’t work.” Spot snapped. 

“Antonio. Antonio Higgens.” Race said softly. Spot muttered the charm and gave the now glowing rose to him.

“This will guide you to somewhere safe tonight.” He started walking away, the ropes that bound Race’s ankles flying back to him. He had done something for that poor boy, he could leave with a clean conscience he figured.

 

Race wasn’t sure the last time he had been shown that kind of kindness. A wizard, even. And he had given Race a enchanted rose.

He stayed in the alley where the wizard had left him until nightfall, when the rose glowed brighter and tugged itself out of his hands. 

Race followed it slowly. Thankful that almost no one was out this time of night, scared for what would happen if a non-powered person or a wizard or -Gods forbid- a Bull or Snyder found him. 

He followed the rose across the city, across the Brooklyn Bridge, into the heart of Brooklyn and to a apartment building. The rose led him up the stairs (Race couldn’t remember the last time he’d been indoors honestly) and to a door. 

Nervously, Race knocked.

The person who opened the door a few seconds later was the wizard from earlier. And the rose hovered in between them for a moment before dropping.

The wizard sighed. “C’mon in, the name’s Spot.”


End file.
